Stuff: Shed serves up lessons on value of wool

No matter who is crowned champion at Wimbledon, New Zealand wool is a star performer on centre court every year.

Good crimp characteristics give wool more bounce than synthetic alternatives, making it the obvious choice to cover the 54,000 tennis balls used at the sport’s glamour event.

To cover that many balls, nine tonnes of New Zealand wool is shipped to Gloucestershire in England and woven into felt before being flown to the Philippines factory where Slazenger tennis balls are made.